Garjia Zone is a really popular spot in the famous Corbett Tiger Reserve. It’s known for having a lot of different plants and animals. Many tourists like it a lot, and it’s often compared to the Dhikala zone because people have different preferences when choosing where to visit.
Garjia Ecotourism Zone is known for its beautiful scenery, creating a peaceful and calm atmosphere. Everyone who visits appreciates the beauty of this place. It’s famous for having a lot of tigers. The landscape in Garjia is a mix of dense Sal forests and wide grasslands, making it diverse and interesting.
Safari in Garjia Ecotourism Zone
Garjia Safari Zone in Corbett National Park is a well-known tourist spot. It’s not far from Ramnagar and has many resorts for visitors. This zone is famous for having lots of tigers, giving visitors a great chance to see them up close.
The Amdanda Gate is the way into this zone, which has different areas like buffer, tourism, and core. You can go on a safari in the morning or evening, but only in the buffer and tourism parts, not in the core areas. They limit the number of vehicles on a specific path during each safari so that the wildlife habitat isn’t disturbed too much.
For a more extensive wildlife experience in Corbett Park, you have the option to indulge in a full-day Jeep safari. The Garjia and Malani Forest Rest Houses provide excellent accommodation choices within the Garjia zone, ensuring a comfortable stay. The visiting hours for both morning and evening slots are as follows, provide specific visiting hours.
Timings for Jungle Safari in Garjia Zone
| Date | Morning | Morning Last Entry | Morning Last Exit | Evening | Evening last Entry | Evening last exit |
| October 1st to November 14th | 06:30 AM | 08:00 AM | 10:30 AM | 02:00 PM | 03:30 PM | 06:00 PM |
| November 15th to February 15th | 06:30 AM | 08:00 AM | 10:30 AM | 01:30 PM | 03:00 PM | 05:30 PM |
| February 16th to April 15th | 06:15 AM | 07:30 AM | 10:15 AM | 02:00 PM | 03:30 PM | 06:00 PM |
| April 16th Onwards | 05:45 AM | 07:15 AM | 09:45 AM | 03:00 PM | 04:30 PM | 07:00 PM |
Prices of Jeep Safari at this zone
A jeep can accommodate 6 adults and two children, and the per-jeep cost can range from ₹6500 to ₹7500. If you are a group of 6 people, 12 people, or more, you can divide the per-jeep cost by 6. This would be approximately ₹1000 to ₹1300 per individual, including of all the costs i.e. Jeep, guide fees, and entry fees etc.
Best time to visit
The Garjia Day Safari Zone in Corbett Tiger Reserve is open for visitors from 15th October to 30th June, making it the best time to explore. It stays closed from July to 14th October due to possible mishaps during the monsoon. However, night stays in Garjia Ecotourism Zones are allowed from 15th November to 14th June.
Attractions inside the zone
In this zone, you’ll find several grasslands known as chaurs. Here are a few of them:
- Machaan Chaur: A beautiful open area near Garjia with lovely scenery and a chance to see wildlife.
- Badhai Chaur: Another attractive grassy area near Garjia, creating a peaceful and natural atmosphere.
- Ringora Chaur: A captivating grassland close to Garjia, adding to the overall charm of the surrounding forests.
Nearby Attractions:
Garjiya Devi Temple – It is the most famous attraction nearby this ecotourism zone. The Garjiya Devi Temple has a history and mythological significance, which is the reason this temple is famous among locals as well as visitors.
Dhangarhi Museum : This museum is just 9 KM away from the place called Garjia. Dhangarhi Museum has lots of things related to the jungle. It also has the skeleton of a dangerous animal, which you can see in the museum.
Kosi River: The Kosi River is another attraction nearest to Garjia Zone. Here, you can enjoy elephant riding and fishing. It is also a good place to observe birds on the riverbank.
How to reach Garjia Ecotourism Zone:
Latitude – 29.3948° N, Longitude – 79.1265° E
The entry gate of the Garjia Zone is just 2 km away from Ramnagar, and it is the same gate where visitors can enter into the Bijrani Zone. So, if you want to reach here, Ramnagar is well connected by bus transportation and rail transportation. The nearest airport is Pantnagar Airport, but if you are from outside India, then Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi would be the nearest to reach here.
Garjia Zone : A Beautiful Safari with Quiet Surprises (Personal Visit Review)
During our recent visit to Jim Corbett National Park, we explored the relatively newly opened Garjia Zone, and while it may not be the park’s most famous safari route, it offered a memorable blend of wildlife sightings and scenic beauty.
From the moment we entered, the landscape was striking, rolling hilly terrain, patches of dense forest, and open trails, all teeming with life. Though we didn’t spot a tiger, we did see fresh pugmarks, which added an exciting element of anticipation. The thrill of knowing a tiger had just passed that same path kept us alert throughout the drive.
Our guide pointed out an impressive variety of wildlife. We saw langurs, chital (spotted deer), sambhar, kakar (barking deer), mongoose, and jungle fowl, along with many vibrant bird species flitting through the trees. It’s clear that Garjia Zone has a healthy wildlife population, though the animals here are still a bit shy probably because the zone is fairly new and less traversed compared to the older safari zones.
One interesting aspect of this safari was seeing locals collecting firewood on the forest edge. It gave us a unique glimpse into the daily lives of people who live in close harmony with the jungle a perspective we hadn’t seen on other safaris.
However, there are a few things to note:
- Garjia is not a core zone, and sits just 1–2 km from the roadside. At certain points, we could even hear vehicle horns from the highway, which did take away from the immersive jungle feel.
- If your main goal is tiger sighting, your best bet is still Dhikala Zone, or possibly Bijrani if Dhikala is unavailable. Garjia has lower tiger sighting chances some say just 1% though we did hear of a tigress with cubs being spotted earlier that week.
- The zone is beautiful, less crowded, and offers a gentler introduction to Corbett’s wilderness. But it’s better approached with an open mind, ready to enjoy the forest as a whole—not just focused on seeing a tiger.
Final Thoughts:
Garjia Zone is more about the journey than the chase. If you want to soak in the sights, sounds, and subtle movements of the forest, this zone offers a satisfying, quieter safari. The views are lovely, the tracks scenic, and the sightings while not dramatic are genuine and unfiltered.
Come here to connect with nature, not just to tick off a tiger sighting.
